FRAMPTON FACES FOUR WEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION DONAIRE IN BELFAST ON APRIL 21

The blockbuster bout will be one of the biggest fights to take place in Belfast in recent years and a make-or-break fight for both men.

Frampton is looking forward to meeting elite opposition on home soil in his first bout of 2018.

“It’s a brilliant fight - a four-weight World Champion against a two-weight World Champion,” said Frampton. “Has a bigger ‘away’ fighter ever come to fight in Belfast before? I don’t think there’s been a bigger name than Nonito Donaire and he’s coming to fight a local guy in his hometown.

“But I think both of us are in the same situation – a slip-up here and one of us might never fight for a World Title again. There’s a lot on the line for both guys.”

With a much-anticipated summer fight date at Belfast’s Windsor Park in the works for ‘The Jackal’, 30-year-old Frampton believes a win over the 42-fight veteran would be perfect preparation ahead of a World Title tilt.

Coming off the back of a 10-round points win over Mexican Horacio Garcia last month in what was Frampton’s first outing since the loss of his WBA World Featherweight crown to Leo Santa Cruz, ‘The Jackal’ is confident that victory over Donaire will tee up a bout against the winner of the scheduled IBF title clash between Lee Selby and Josh Warrington.

“He’s been at the top of four divisions, but he was in the same weight division as me for quite a while and he’s someone I’ve always kept an eye on,” said Belfast native Frampton. “He’s someone I admire as well and I think he’s a great fighter, but I think this is the perfect fight to get me ready for a World Title fight in the summer.”

While Donaire has suffered three defeats since being named 2012 Fighter of the Year by The Ring, ESPN and the Boxing Writers’ Association of America – the same honours Frampton picked up in 2016 – the 35-year-old ‘Filipino Flash’ is eager to prove that he is still an elite force at 126lbs.

“This is exactly the type of fight I live for — going in against one of the best in the World in the lion’s den of his hometown of Belfast,” said Donaire. “I can’t wait for the first bell! I know I’ll have to be the best I can be on fight night. Make no mistake, I’m already training like never before.”

“I plan to put on a spectacular show for my fans, his fans and boxing fans in general. When I walk out of the ring victorious, it will have all been worth it."

Promoter Frank Warren said: “Belfast fight fans are going to be in for another treat on April 21st. This is a guaranteed barn burner between two elite Featherweights. Both men have held multiple World Titles and know that a win will lead to another shot at World glory.

“If Carl comes through this fight then it’s the big one at Windsor Park in the summer next. That is what we promised him and that is what we will deliver if he gets the win in April.”

Richard Schaefer, founder of Ringstar Sports, added: “This is a fight between two of the best Featherweights in the World, with multiple World Titles between them. These are two fighters who are never boring in the ring, two fighters who come forward and love to engage.

“If styles make fights — well it doesn't get any better than this! On April 21st it will be ‘Fireworks in Belfast’ and boxing fans from around the World will be in for a treat."

ANTHONY YARDE HAS landed himself a spot on the biggest night of boxing in 2018, with the self-styled 'Beast from the East' set to fight on the huge Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury card at the Staples Center on December 1.

Johnny Garton described winning the British title as a ‘dream come true’ whilst sitting on the edge of the ring apron on Saturday evening, the Lord Lonsdale challenge belt wrapped around his shoulder and a massive smile upon his bruised and bloodied face.

This morning, Wednesday 17TH October 2018, David Haye, in a move that no one will have seen coming has officially signed an exclusive management deal with none other than old foe, Dereck ‘WAR’ Chisora, who will join the Hayemaker boxing stable.

Ahead of the most anticipated fight this year, the rematch between Saul "Canelo" Alverez and Gennady "GGG" Golovkin, we asked numerous boxers, former champions,journalists and coaches for their expert predictions.

Josh Taylor (Scotland) vs Ryan Martin (United States) and Ryan Burnett (Northern Ireland) vs Nonito Donaire (Philippines) will battle it out as they begin the quest for the Muhammad Ali Trophy on November 3 at the SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland.

Eddie Hearn:
“It’s fantastic to see Amir Khan back again after a blistering performance at the Echo Arena in Liverpool against Phil Lo Greco. We’re still catching our breath from that. But this time I think a much more serious challenge is in front of him that he has prepared for intensely with his new trainer Joe Goosen.

"I will come back hungrier than ever to show the world that I am still one
of the best fighters pound for pound, I want big fights and the world has
not seen the best of me, with my new coach and my new team, I will improve.

The Season II Quarter-Finals of the World Boxing Super Series will feature doubleheaders over six fight nights on back-to-back weekends, starting on Sunday 7 October at the Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan.

Croatia’s biggest rock act Thompson headed by star singer Marko Perkovi? will perform live as Filip Hrgovi? enters the ring for his WBC International Heavyweight Championship fight on September 8 at the Arena Zagreb.

Ivana Habazin will make the first defence of her IBO Female World Middleweight Championship against Gifty Amanua Ankrah on September 8 at the Arena Zagreb as chief support for Filip Hrgovi?’s WBC International title challenge.

In the countdown to the September 8 fight between Philadelphian Danny Garcia and Ohioan Shawn Porter, who will contest the vacant World Boxing Council welterweight title, the pair discussed the upcoming event in a presser.

Yessica Munoz (17-1-1, 5 KOs) has arrived in Denmark full of confidence ahead of her WBO Female World Super Bantamweight Championship clash with local hero Dina Thorslund (11-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday at the Struer Energi Park.

Undefeated Croatian heavyweight Agron Smakici (13-0, 11 KOs) is set to face Gabriel Enguema (8-6, 5 KOs) on the undercard of Filip Hrgovi?’s WBC International title clash with Amir Mansour on September 8 at the Arena Zagreb.

The full fight card is now confirmed for the Nordic Fight Night on August 25 at the Struer Energi Park headlined by hometown hero Dina Thorslund’s WBO Female World Super Bantamweight Championship clash with Yessica Munoz.

Kem Ljungquist (4-0, 2 KOs) has been sparring former World Champion Tyson Fury ahead of his ring return on August 25 at the Struer Energi Park in Denmark on the undercard of Dina Thorslund's WBO Female World title fight with Mexico's Yessica Munoz.

The quarter-finals for Season II of the World Boxing Super Series were set for the tournament’s Super-Lightweight and Bantamweight brackets at a Draft Gala Friday night at the Rossiya Theatre in Moscow.

Murat Gassiev’s coach Abel Sanchez has studied Aleksandr Usyk ahead of Saturday’s Ali Trophy Final in Moscow and predicts problems for the Ukrainian if he doesn’t improve from his performance in the semi-final against Mairis Briedis.

IBF Welterweight Champion Sergey Lipinets makes the first defence of his crown against a man that is quite possibly the best counter puncher in the world today, Mikey Garcia. Should Garcia be victorious, he would win a world title in a fourth weight division.

Oscar Valdez puts his WBO Featherweight title on the line and steps up against arguably his most dangerous opponent to date, former World Super Bantamweight Champion, Scott Quigg. This bout has gone somewhat under the radar, given that a certain pound-for-pound elect is fighting in San Antonio, Texas. Even in Quigg's home country of England, the build-up has gone by almost relatively unnoticed, but make no mistake; this is a fight that deserves some due care and attention.

The March of the heavyweights slows down this week, allowing our attention to move across to the light welterweight division. The bright lights of New York City are replaced by the vast city of San Antonio, Texas. In a fight that could produce a shootout worthy of the Alamo.

Former soldier DL Jones is promising to dispense a solid square bashing to Heavyweight hotshot Daniel Dubois when the undefeated 17 stone juggernauts collide for the Southern Area strap at London’s York Hall on February 24th.

‘Very early on in life, I learned that you quickly gained respect around our manor if you could hold your hands up,’ says ‘Horny’ Harvey who was born in the London Hospital and raised in flat just off the Roman Road in Bethnal Green.

Tommy Langford (19-1, 6 KOs) will defend his British Middleweight Title against Jack Arnfield (25-2, 6 KOs) at the Manchester Arena, February 17.
The thrilling domestic encounter will take place on the undercard of the World Boxing Super Series Super Middleweight Semi-Final clash between George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr.

SELBY V WARRINGTON ELLAND ROAD PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
IBF World Featherweight Champion Lee Selby and Mandatory Challenger Josh Warrington came face-to-face at a press conference at Elland Road today ahead of their all-British blockbuster World Title showdown on Saturday 19th May, to be shown live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Welsh wizard Lee Selby intends to cement his standing as the leading light in Britain’s white hot featherweight division by sizzling in the fourth defence of his IBF belt against unbeaten Mexican Eduardo Ramirez at London’s Copper Box Arena on December 9th.